Prospective R-Pod Owner - Slide Outs & Towing Ques

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Originally posted by Rkulp89@gmail.com

 Thank you for the thorough response. I actually do NOT plan on boondocking often, if at all. I just tried to add the max amount of stuff for worse case scenario. I didn't know curb weight included gas but I did just read somewhere that it was suppose to include 150lb driver..  but that also said empty tank... who knows. As you suggested I may check on a taco forum for clarification. 

I am well aware that the hitch alone does not add any towing capacity (would actually reduce it slightly due to the additional weight) but the point I was trying to make which you've hinted to is that the other models with a hitch have much higher tongue weights. This leads me to believe that it is either limited to 350 off the bumper or rated that way because of power. 

The 4.56 gears will give me a big advantage when it comes to towing over the 3.307 at the expense of fuel mileage and rpms. For example (see below) the F-150 towing capacity is significantly increased as shorter gears are used. 

The thought is that the hitch will give me a little leeway on the tongue weight and the gearing will allow me to tow at or near the max capacity without lugging the engine too much. 

Just as an FYI, the towing package include class IV hitch, trailer wiring, oil cooler, trans cooler (no applicable in my situation) , heavy duty battery and alternator. 

I think what I am going to do is rent a local R-Pod and tow it around my town for a day to see how it handles before moving forward with anything. 

Renting one is an excellent idea. Take it up and down some grades, see if you're comfortable.  If you're not boondocking then that makes life easier. Keep it light,  don't fill the fresh water tank and don't get a dual battery setup or a second propane tank. Do consider getting a weight distribution hitch and using it for your test tow, you can always use it later on whatever trailer/tow vehicle you end up with. It won't give you "leeway" on your numbers but it will make your towing feel a whole lot better. 

Curb weight isn't supposed to include any people or cargo, 

Just for the record, the deuce and a half truck that won world war 2 for us carried enormous loads with only 104 hp so towing is more about gearing and ability to carry weight than it is about horsepower, as long as you're not in a hurry. My 83 Toyota class B (we used to call it the bloated tick, it had way more frontal area than an rpod) had the ubiquitous 22R engine. Made all of 97HP. On flat ground with no wind I could cruise at 60! The new 4 bangers are 159 hp. Veritable rockets in comparison.  Its all a matter of perspective and expectations. 